Zalafa, Khirbat

The village was situated on a low hill within a wide expanse of plain, and was connected to nearby villages—including its parent village, ʿAtil—by secondary roads. The residents of Khirbat Zalfa originally came from ʿAtil. They cultivated land in the area before gradually settling in the village due to its proximity to their farmlands.

In the late 19th century, Khirbat Zalfa was described as a small farmstead surrounded on the southern side by several springs. A cluster of homes stood at the center of the village, though many other houses were scattered across the surrounding agricultural lands. Agriculture in Khirbat Zalfa focused on melons, vegetables, cereals, and olives. In 1944–1945, a total of 38 dunums were allocated for cereals and 6 dunums were irrigated or used for orchards.

Occupation and Ethnic Cleansing

The Haganah leadership considered the coastal area north of Tel Aviv—regarded as the heart of the emerging Jewish state—a strategic priority and decided it must be secured by the removal of its Arab population before 15 May 1948. In early April, a series of orders were issued calling for the evacuation of villages whose residents had remained.

In mid-April, representatives of the Haganah reached an agreement with the residents of Khirbat Zalfa stipulating that if they departed, the surrounding Zionist settlements would protect their properties and allow them to return after the war. According to Israeli historian Benny Morris, the villagers may have been pressured into leaving. By the end of that month and into early May, the homes of Khirbat Zalfa—as well as those of several neighboring villages—were systematically demolished by the Haganah, assisted by nearby Zionist settlers. There is no available information on the fate of the village lands thereafter.

The Village Today

The village has been leveled, and Israeli citrus orchards now cover both the original village site and the surrounding lands.

Israeli Settlements on Village Lands

There are no Israeli settlements on the lands of the village.